Automatic voter registration

A House committee approved a bill that would make voter registration easy — too easy, according to some Republicans.

Rep. Steve Simon (DFL-St. Louis Park) sponsors HF1053 that would overhaul Minnesota’s voter registration process. In addition to making it easier to update voter records by cross-checking various databases, the bill would automatically register any eligible voter who applies for a driver’s license or a state ID.

Secretary of State Mark Ritchie said the goal is to reduce the state’s approximately 600,000 Election Day voter registrations; however, some Republicans argued that simplifying the registration process might not be a good thing.

“I just think this is a fundamental change that we should not be making,” said Rep. Morrie Lanning (R-Moorhead). “I think voters should have to think about this and act to register, and not have it automatically done for them.”

Rep. Mark Buesgens (R-Jordan) suggested automatic registration could lead the state “down the road towards compulsory voting.”

Simon responded that voters would still have to actively think and take the initiative to vote; only the registration process itself would be simplified.

In addition to establishing automatic voter registration, the bill would allow elections officials to keep updated voter rolls by:

• using data from the Department of Public Safety to check for non-citizens listed in the statewide voter registration system;

• comparing voter rolls with Social Security databases to check for deceased voters;

• forwarding name changes from the courts system to county auditors, who would then notify individuals with changed names that they have to re-register to vote; and

• requiring the Department of Corrections and the courts to update elections officials on the convictions and civil rights statutes of felons.

The House State and Local Government Operations Reform, Technology and Elections Committee approved the bill March 19 and referred it to the House Finance Committee. A companion, SF660, sponsored by Sen. John Marty (DFL-Roseville), awaits action by the Senate State Government Budget Division.